Part 5 (2/2)

”It's the age of the computer,” Claire reminded him needlessly. ”It can seem as if you're right here, except that you'll really be there. At home. With Rachel,” she empha-sized in case he missed that She couldn't begin to understand, he thought. Telecommuting just wasn't the same thing. ”But I can't just-”

He blew out a breath. If he tried, he supposed he could make it work, at least part of the time. He had enough access codes and enough information to do the work on any desktop. Maybe he could take a few days off to get this all straightened out.

Besides, what choice did he have? It was either let Rachel remain with him or have family services take her. Even if the latter was easier, he had this nagging feeling that he shouldn't give her up so quickly.

Claire knew that she should have her head examined, but she felt sorry for him. He looked like a man who was hopelessly trapped. Maybe he couldn't exude charm very well, but he did lost-and-trapped to a T.

Knowing she was really going to regret this, she tendered an offer. ”Look, I'll make a deal with you. You make an effort here, take some time off, at least learn which end is supposed to be diapered and which is supposed to be fed, and I'll see what I can do about taking up the slack.”

He hadn't expected her to volunteer, not after he'd left her high and dry last night. And not after she'd made it perfectly clear that he couldn't buy his way into her services any longer.

Evan stared at her, wis.h.i.+ng he could figure her out. But even if he couldn't understand her, he could understand that she was coming to his rescue.

”You will?”

Uh-oh, she knew that look. Claire was quick to head him off at the pa.s.s before he went galloping off in the wrong direction.

”Slack,” she repeated. ”As in loose hours, not as in twenty-four. Got it, Mr. Quartermain?”

”Got it. Completely,” he swore, in case she thought he was going to renege again. He was grateful for the help. It meant that, at least for a while, he wasn't going to have to go poring over the telephone directory, trying to locate a nanny on short notice.

He looked at Claire hopefully as Libby wiggled farther into his chair, whizzing around. ”So, you'll take her back home now?” Very gingerly, he lifted Libby out of his swivel chair. She'd spent the past few minutes spinning around in it, pus.h.i.+ng herself along against his desk with her feet to gain momentum. To his surprise, Libby didn't protest.

”And you'll arrive shortly in my wake?” Claire asked. She caught Libby's hand as she took an uncertain step. The little girl grinned up at her foolishly. Libby was dizzy, Claire thought.

The terms were not negotiable, and he knew it. Not with that look in her eyes. He was sure it was the same one Churchill had had in his eyes when he'd delivered his speech on the floor of parliament about fighting the enemy on the beaches.

”I'll be in your wake,” he promised. Libby had s.h.i.+fted back to his side, curling her fingers around his hand again and smiling up at him as if he was her new best friend. Just what he needed. He extracted his hand.

”Shortly?” Claire emphasized, her eyes on his.

He had the uncomfortable feeling that she would know if he tried to lie or put her off. So he didn't. ”I've got to talk to my boss.”

”You have a boss?” Libby asked incredulously, emphasizing each word. ”Mama is her own boss.”

He didn't wonder. ”That's because no one can tell your mama what to do.”

Claire knew Evan didn't mean it as a compliment, but she wasn't after compliments from this man. She just wanted him to do what was right.

She smiled at him serenely. ”I'm glad we understand each other.” She caught Libby by the shoulder before she could get into exploring anything else, specifically the floor-to-ceiling shelves she seemed to have her eye on. ”Now, we'll get out of your way. We'll be at my house, waiting for you.” Just in case he had any ideas about a repeat performance of yesterday, she added, ”But don't think that I'd hesitate in coming back here again if you don't show up.”

He was beginning to fully appreciate exactly what he was up against. ”Not for a minute.” Evan paused, studying her. He had to know. ”Are you an army brat?”

She had no idea where the question came from. ”No, why?”

To him, it was obvious. ”You give orders like a drill sergeant.”

Yeah, well, there was a reason for that, she thought ”Comes from having to take care of myself at an early age.” Her father, a widowed, sought-after neurosurgeon, had hardly ever seemed to be home. The housekeeper he'd employed did little to fill the void in her life. Claire had been left on her own a great deal.

Turning, Claire let him get the door. With Libby's hand firmly in hers, she ushered her daughter out before her. Rachel began fussing. It was time for another bottle, Claire thought.

”We'll be waiting for you,” she said pointedly as she pa.s.sed Alma's desk.

”I've got Mr. Donovan on the telephone,” Alma informed Evan, watching the entourage file by to the elevator. She shook her head in disbelief.

”What would I do without you, Alma?” Evan muttered, turning on his heel.

”I was just about to get into the car again,” Claire told Evan.

She shut the door behind him as he walked into her living room. It had been over three hours since she'd left him in the office, and the whole scenario was beginning to play like dej vu.

Well, at least he'd managed to avert that disaster, he though. He watched as another female came hurrying toward him. Libby wrapped herself around his leg, greeting him as if they were old friends.

Old was the word for it, he thought. Suddenly, he felt ancient, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, not to mention around his leg.

”I had a couple of emergencies to handle before I could get away,” he told Claire.

”You can sit down here, by me,” Libby told him, giving him no choice as she yanked on his arm. Evan found himself sitting on the sofa, in front of a tape of six-foot dancing squirrels who were also singing. Badly.

”You have an emergency here,” Claire told him evenly. ”Remember?”

The squirrels were extolling the virtues of always being kind, even to people who were mean to you. Maybe the woman responded to kindness, Evan thought. He did his best to smile. ”Yes, but I left that one in capable hands.”

Suppressing a grin, she turned down the sound on the television. ”Your charming is getting better, but it still isn't good enough to make me take Rachel for the night.”

”The night?” Evan repeated dumbly. He hadn't even thought about that possibility.

Claire nodded. ”The night. Bedtime.” Her mouth curved in response to the look on his face. ”You know, the time that separates the parents from those who haven't been so blessed.”

Blessed wasn't exactly the word he would have used. ”Bedtime.” His mouth was suddenly dry. Evan's eyes s.h.i.+fted to the baby, and then back to Claire. ”Any chance?”

There was a hint of panic in his eyes, and she tried not to laugh. Above all, she remained firm. ”Not even in h.e.l.l.”

She couldn't just leave him alone with the baby. He had no idea what to do. ”Claire, you're so much better than I am at this.”

There was no way he was going to talk her into it, or his way out of it.

”Ever hear of 'practice makes perfect'?” And then, because he truly did look lost, she relented. A little. ”I tell you what, I'll spend the day with you in your house, coaching you through everything. By nightfall, you'll be an expert.” She knew that was really stretching it. ”Or at least you won't break her.”

Well, it was something. He nodded, taking out his checkbook. ”All right, just let me make out a check for you.”

Was there a price on everything for this man? Hadn't he learned yet? She struggled not to let her temper get the better of her. ”Did I say I was charging you for this?”

Why was she getting so steamed? ”No, but I just a.s.sumed-”

That was his first mistake. ”Never, ever a.s.sume anything with me, Mr. Quartermain,” Claire warned. ”You'll find that you're usually wrong.” She set him straight. ”I'm doing this because Rachel needs someone in her corner. And because you are the most pathetic-looking would-be father I've ever seen.” He bristled slightly, and she bit her tongue to keep from laughing. ”But at least you are a would-be father and you get points for that.”

<script>